WC: 2015 — Team France

[Belizarius]

Looks like Huet will start and Henri Corentin Buysse will be the backup.
Buysse led Dijon to the semi finals and led all goalies in save % during the french playoffs.

Roster for tonight (via French coach Pierre Pousse on Twitter) :
Pierre Pousse @PierrePousse
#FraLet1 STreille Raux Bertrand/ Lamperier TDacosta Fleury/ Rech Ritz YTreille/ Perret Claireaux Gaborit / Briand @Hockey_FRA #Prague2015

Pierre Pousse @PierrePousse
#FraLet1 Huet Buysse / Auvitu Faure/ Chakiachvili Manavian / Trabichet Janil / Guillemain @Hockey_FRA #Prague2015

 

[Belizarius]

It's 2-1 France after 20 min in Riga.
Trabichet, recently playoffs MVP and league champion with Gap, tied the game, then Lampérier added a 2nd goal.
Both goals created by Damien Fleury. Looks like he has some chemistry with Teddy Da Costa and Lampérier. Nice to see to have a decent 2nd line (Bellemare, S. Da Costa and Roussel still not there).

 

[Elvs]

Any possibility Bertrand ends up in the NHL? He's producing well in Finland, is in good age, seems to have solid speed and hands, and he is big enough. I always root for the smaller hockey nations to get more NHL talent.

 

[Belizarius]

Bertrand is probably the best in pure skills behind Stephane Da Costa and he has great speed.
Problems : consistency and defensive work. He made huge strides this season, but I think it's a long shot for the NHL. If he has 2-3 good seasons in Finland again, who knows ? Take the Bellemare road !

 

[Belizarius]

France 2-1 Latvia
3rd win in a row for team France.
Strong game by Huet.
Very good game overall. Pretty exciting for the WC
And it's going to be very difficult for the staff to select only 14 forwards. France now has some depth !

 

[Namejs]

France 2-1 Latvia
3rd win in a row for team France.
Strong game by Huet.
Very good game overall. Pretty exciting for the WC
And it's going to be very difficult for the staff to select only 14 forwards. France now has some depth !

I don't want to spoil your party, but we're missing about 50% of our line-up. The lines and D-pairings for the most part are random.

Same thing today + we'll play our 5th goaltender for some reason.

 

[Belizarius]

I don't want to spoil your party, but we're missing about 50% of our line-up. The lines and D-pairings for the most part are random.

Same thing today + we'll play our 5th goaltender for some reason.

We didn't have our 1st line nor our first pairing as well.
There was a lot of young players without any chance of making the team, going there for some experience.

 

[Slohockey]

We didn't have our 1st line nor our first pairing as well.
There was a lot of young players without any chance of making the team, going there for some experience.

Who were actually missing yesterday? Bellemare, Roussel, Da Costa, Auvitu, Hecquefeuille, anyone else? Indeed, strong bunch of players.

 

[Belizarius]

Who were actually missing yesterday? Bellemare, Roussel, Da Costa, Auvitu, Hecquefeuille, anyone else? Indeed, strong bunch of players.

Auvitu was there, all the others were missing. Besch and Moisand didn't play as well in defense.
Forward Guttig and GK Quemener were not there (Mestis playoffs), neither GK Hardy and team captain Meunier.

 

[Belizarius]

France wins 4th game in a row.
1-0 in Latvia, goal by Bertrand (who had at least 5 great scoring chances with his speed).
Huet terrific in goal, but France had most of the chances I think.

 

[DangeRouss]

Way to go "Les Bleus"

In a recent interview with French site hockeyhebdo, PEB wasn't sure he will be quickly released by the Flyers...

 

[Alveio]

Crap.. Shoulder surgery for Bellemare. No Worlds for him

 

[Urbanskog]

Crap.. Shoulder surgery for Bellemare. No Worlds for him

That blows, I was already excited for France...

 

[Belizarius]

Time for Bertrand to step up. Or Guttig, or Fleury...

 

[Alveio]

I'd put Bertrand with Da Costa and Roussel.

 

[DangeRouss]

Bad news

 

[Kshahdoo]

France needs to give a citizenship to some French Canadian star players, who don't have any chances to play for Canada. I bet most of them have French origins. And then France will become a hockey power. Of course, it won't be a very powerful power, but still.

 

[Alveio]

France needs to give a citizenship to some French Canadian star players, who don't have any chances to play for Canada. I bet most of them have French origins. And then France will become a hockey power. Of course, it won't be a very powerful power, but still.

France doesn't want to do that. We want French born players to have a shot on the national team and make this team improve each year.

We could have a great team with some players with 2 citizenships, but that wouldn't reflect the true level of this team.

Hockey is a very small sport in here, and if young players can't dream about being in the National Team because we get French Canadian players instead, that would "kill" our future depth I guess.

 

[Belizarius]

France needs to give a citizenship to some French Canadian star players, who don't have any chances to play for Canada. I bet most of them have French origins. And then France will become a hockey power. Of course, it won't be a very powerful power, but still.

That what we did in the 90's and we ended in D1...
Look at Italy...

It doesn't work. Since 2008, the France NT chose to select only players developped in France, and we reached the quarter finals last year. So... better long term strategy.

I'm confident with our improved depth. We can overcome the loss of Bellemare, a tough one, but it will lead to more ice time for other young players. Time to step up !

BTW, loss vs Germany yesterday. Young goalies Buysse and Fouquerel both played and fared well despite the loss. That was a smart move to give them some XP.

 

[Kshahdoo]

France doesn't want to do that. We want French born players to have a shot on the national team and make this team improve each year.

We could have a great team with some players with 2 citizenships, but that wouldn't reflect the true level of this team.

Hockey is a very small sport in here, and if young players can't dream about being in the National Team because we get French Canadian players instead, that would "kill" our future depth I guess.

Hehe, I was mostly joking, but if serious a couple of good French Canadians won't harm your team. Of course they would have to be very passionate about playing for the country.

 

[Bookker]

A very bad news for Pi-Ed Bellemare...
Huge player for Team France, both sides of the ice (+PP & PK)

Possible lines could be :

Bertrand - S. Da Costa - Roussel
S. Treille - Meunier - Desrosiers
Guttig - T. Da Costa - Fleury
Y. Treille - Raux - Lampérier (ou Ritz, ou Bozon, ou Henderson...)

Auvitu - Manavian
Besch - Hecquefeuille
Trabichet - Janil
Chakiachvili - Moisand (ou Dieudé-Fauvel)

If we play with heart as usual we can do something though

 

[torero]

France doesn't want to do that. We want French born players to have a shot on the national team and make this team improve each year.

We could have a great team with some players with 2 citizenships, but that wouldn't reflect the true level of this team.

Hockey is a very small sport in here, and if young players can't dream about being in the National Team because we get French Canadian players instead, that would "kill" our future depth I guess.

When we see were France comes from (Bozon ... the only player in the NHL) ... little means and little interest ... And now they have a decent national team with 2 ? NHLers, several good Europeans league players, the 2nd best KHL player in points ... ! France is a success story.

I am not rooting for you because you are neighbors (i actually live in France) ... and as such it is holly to keep "une guerre de clocher" but i respect a lot your achievement.

 

[Alveio]

When we see were France comes from (Bozon ... the only player in the NHL) ... little means and little interest ... And now they have a decent national team with 2 ? NHLers, several good Europeans league players, the 2nd best KHL player in points ... ! France is a success story.

I am not rooting for you because you are neighbors (i actually live in France) ... and as such it is holly to keep "une guerre de clocher" but i respect a lot your achievement.

Yeah, and the win 4-2 against Switzerland 3 or 4 years ago was a major win for us, and I think that it built this team. It gave a lot of confidence to the boys, making them thinking that they can beat anyone in a good day. And the 2-1 against Russia was a major example of that !

 

[torero]

Yeah, and the win 4-2 against Switzerland 3 or 4 years ago was a major win for us, and I think that it built this team. It gave a lot of confidence to the boys, making them thinking that they can beat anyone in a good day. And the 2-1 against Russia was a major example of that !

Their we go on the 24th and the 26th ... for some "friendly" games.

A part of Bellmare ... Will their be someone missing on the French roster ?

 

[ergi24]

Huet
Hardy
Quemener

Auvitu - Hecquefeuille
Besch - Manavian
Dieudé-Fauvel - Janil
Chakiachvili - Trabichet

Bertrand - S. Da Costa - Roussel
Desrosiers - Meunier - Y. Treille
Guttig - T. Da Costa - Fleury
Bozon - Raux - S. Treille
Ritz, Lamperier or Claireaux